The Culture of Print, Part 1 Presentation by Mindy McAdams Week 7.1 / MMC 2265

Lewis Mumford, 1895 – 1990 Studied at the City College of New York and the New School for Social Research (never finished his degree) Magazine work: 1920s: Associate editor of The Dial, an influential literary journal Wrote architectural criticism, as well as commentary on urban issues, at The New Yorker for more than 30 years

Studied at the City College of New York and the New School for Social Research (never finished his degree)

Magazine work:

1920s: Associate editor of The Dial, an influential literary journal

Wrote architectural criticism, as well as commentary on urban issues, at The New Yorker for more than 30 years

Lewis Mumford, 1895 – 1990 "He preferred to call himself a writer, not a scholar, architectural critic, historian or philosopher" (Eugene Halton, biographer) Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964) and the National Medal of the Arts (1986) Famous books include: Technics and Civilization (1934) The City in History (1961) – won the National Book Award

"He preferred to call himself a writer, not a scholar, architectural critic, historian or philosopher" (Eugene Halton, biographer)

Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964) and the National Medal of the Arts (1986)

Famous books include:

Technics and Civilization (1934)

The City in History (1961) – won the National Book Award

Early Books in Europe Monks copying books: About 500 C.E. through 1500 C.E. Starting about the 1100s, universities paid scribes (who were not monks) to copy books; stationer shops prospered Gutenberg finished printing his Bible (on a press) in 1455/56 C.E. Estimated 8 million books printed by 1500

Monks copying books: About 500 C.E. through 1500 C.E.

Starting about the 1100s, universities paid scribes (who were not monks) to copy books; stationer shops prospered

Gutenberg finished printing his Bible (on a press) in 1455/56 C.E.

Estimated 8 million books printed by 1500

A Gutenberg Bible

Movable Type The Chinese used a system of “movable characters” about 1045 C.E. — 400 years before Gutenberg Chinese used woodblocks and, later, blocks of fired clay to print Chinese characters onto cloth and, later, paper

The Chinese used a system of “movable characters” about 1045 C.E. — 400 years before Gutenberg

Chinese used woodblocks and, later, blocks of fired clay to print Chinese characters onto cloth and, later, paper

Movable Type Chinese invented paper about 100 C.E. (or maybe earlier) Complexity of Chinese writing system limited printing production to shorter texts

Chinese invented paper about 100 C.E. (or maybe earlier)

Complexity of Chinese writing system limited printing production to shorter texts

Movable Type Did Gutenberg know about Chinese movable type? The Travels of Marco Polo, “published” in 1299 Described China, the Mongol empire, India and Africa Marco Polo, an Italian, had spent 24 years in the East One of the most popular books in medieval Europe — hundreds of copies

Did Gutenberg know about Chinese movable type?

The Travels of Marco Polo, “published” in 1299

Described China, the Mongol empire, India and Africa

Marco Polo, an Italian, had spent 24 years in the East

One of the most popular books in medieval Europe — hundreds of copies

Hand-lettered, illustrated text of The Travels of Marco Polo, c. 1300

Gutenberg Johann Gutenberg, born about 1400 C.E. in Mainz, Germany His family was upper-class, so he was most likely educated in Latin Evidence shows he was a goldsmith and worked also with other metals He started experiments with metal type and a letterpress in the 1440s

Johann Gutenberg, born about 1400 C.E. in Mainz, Germany

His family was upper-class, so he was most likely educated in Latin

Evidence shows he was a goldsmith and worked also with other metals

He started experiments with metal type and a letterpress in the 1440s

Role of Paper How to manufacture paper: Arabs first brought that knowledge to Spain in the late 1100s First paper mill in Germany was founded in 1390 — barely 50 years before Gutenberg’s movable type Before paper was available, European books were copied onto parchment (sheepskin) or vellum (calfskin) Gutenberg used paper imported from Italy

How to manufacture paper: Arabs first brought that knowledge to Spain in the late 1100s

First paper mill in Germany was founded in 1390 — barely 50 years before Gutenberg’s movable type

Before paper was available, European books were copied onto parchment (sheepskin) or vellum (calfskin)

Gutenberg used paper imported from Italy

Gutenberg’s Bibles Each copy: Almost 1,300 pages Size: About 16 inches by 12 inches Most Gutenberg Bibles were bound in two volumes (they are big ) Typical binding: Leather over wooden boards The U.S. Library of Congress’ Gutenberg Bible is one of three perfect examples printed on vellum that have survived 48 relatively complete copies of the Gutenberg Bible survived into the 20th century Source: Octavo.com

Each copy: Almost 1,300 pages

Size: About 16 inches by 12 inches

Most Gutenberg Bibles were bound in two volumes (they are big )

Typical binding: Leather over wooden boards

The U.S. Library of Congress’ Gutenberg Bible is one of three perfect examples printed on vellum that have survived

48 relatively complete copies of the Gutenberg Bible survived into the 20th century

Gutenberg’s Invention Developed a process to cast the individual letters with metal alloy and precisely adjust the mold to guarantee uniformity (size and shape) of the metal type Divided text into the smallest components: The 26 letters of the Latin alphabet

Developed a process to cast the individual letters with metal alloy and precisely adjust the mold to guarantee uniformity (size and shape) of the metal type

Divided text into the smallest components: The 26 letters of the Latin alphabet

Metal Type

Type Case (or Job Case)

Gutenberg’s Process Used screw presses to press the ink-covered metal type against the paper Press was made of wood until about 1800 After 1800, the hand-operated press was made of iron

Used screw presses to press the ink-covered metal type against the paper

Press was made of wood until about 1800

After 1800, the hand-operated press was made of iron

Spread of Printing Technology The result: A large number of exact copies of a single book could be produced in a short amount of time Printing process spread rapidly through Europe 1470s: First printed book in English

The result: A large number of exact copies of a single book could be produced in a short amount of time

Printing process spread rapidly through Europe

1470s: First printed book in English

Mass Production (1) Eli Whitney, born in 1765, Massachusetts Patented the cotton gin in 1794 Many historians mark this as the start of mass production in the world However … Gutenberg’s press made possible the mass production of hundreds (even thousands) of identical books

Eli Whitney, born in 1765, Massachusetts

Patented the cotton gin in 1794

Many historians mark this as the start of mass production in the world

However … Gutenberg’s press made possible the mass production of hundreds (even thousands) of identical books

Mass Production (2) One edition of a book in the early years of printing: 200 to 1,000 copies Any copy might be transported far from the place where it was first printed Another printer might set up a new edition of that same book and print many more copies Competition among printers: Led to copyright laws (1662, England)

One edition of a book in the early years of printing: 200 to 1,000 copies

Any copy might be transported far from the place where it was first printed

Another printer might set up a new edition of that same book and print many more copies

Competition among printers: Led to copyright laws (1662, England)

Timeline 1452 – Leonardo da Vinci born 1453 – Constantinople falls to Muslim conquerors; Greek scholars flee to Italy 1456 – Gutenberg’s first printed Bibles 1474 – Michelangelo born 1492 – Columbus lands on American shore 1498 – Vasco da Gama sails around the Cape of Good Hope; reaches India 1517 – The Protestant Reformation begins

1452 – Leonardo da Vinci born

1453 – Constantinople falls to Muslim conquerors; Greek scholars flee to Italy

1456 – Gutenberg’s first printed Bibles

1474 – Michelangelo born

1492 – Columbus lands on American shore

1498 – Vasco da Gama sails around the Cape of Good Hope; reaches India

1517 – The Protestant Reformation begins

The Culture of Print , Part 1 Presentation by Mindy McAdams University of Florida